In my Bible, Mathew 23 is labeled “Seven Woes.” So I’m primed. As I read through the chapter, what stands out is, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” Six times, the woes begin with this. And I cheer, “Go get ‘um, Jesus!”
But then I wonder… what lessons are in these words of Jesus that I am missing? What will keep me from becoming a ‘hypocrite’ and falling under these ‘woes’? And what will keep me from being deceived?
Even before the ‘woes’ hit, Jesus strips them of their pride in their positions. “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.” Matthew 23:2 These men have put themselves into a position of adding to the laws to the point that no one could possibly remember and follow them all and then judging people when they failed. They decorated themselves to stand out and made themselves important in the eyes of the people. They loved their titles and expected people to honor them.
But Jesus said, “You are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth, ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and He is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.” Matthew 23:8-10
As I look at our ‘religious systems’ today, I see us labeling our leaders as father, teacher, pastor, reverend, doctor, or even naming movements after the leader (Bill Hybels and Willow Creek, Rick Warren and Saddleback, Robert Schuller and Crystal Cathedral, or Pentecostal movements following Randy Clark, Rodney Howard Browne, Patricia King). Followers put these people up on a pedestal and repeat everything they say as ‘gospel truth’ and follow in droves. We forget that God’s Word is the Truth and that His Holy Spirit is available to dwell inside each of us giving us wisdom to discern His Truth in any given situation. Instead, we determine our truth based on who we follow. Jesus is warning us that pride in position is dangerous – both from a leader and a follower standpoint!
Then the ‘woes’ hit. “You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces… you make him [your convert] twice as much a son of hell as you are… blind guides… neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness… full of greed and self-indulgence… you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness…” Matthew 23:13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 28
Jesus left the ‘woes’ with a compassionate cry, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37 When I read all of the chapter with that compassion in mind, it reads slightly different – not so much as a harsh judgment as a plea to open their eyes to the reality of where they have gone – far away from the God who walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden, far away from the God who spoke with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, far from the God who rescued his people from Egypt and led them to the Promised Land, providing manna each day and causing their clothing to last and not wear out. They maintained routines and rituals, but forgot the relational God to whom those rituals pointed.
This chapter is followed by Jesus teaching his followers about what was to come yet before the ‘end of the age.’ Jesus warns that “false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.” Matthew 24:24 And I wonder, how could the elect be deceived?
I wonder if maybe this isn’t a Pharisee ‘smack down’ so much as it is a warning to us all… God is not about blindly following a prescribed set of rules or behaviors – going to church a prescribed number of times a year, being baptized in a certain manner, doing whatever the pastor, priest or teacher says, disciplining ourselves to the ‘spiritual disciplines,’ etc. I believe that God absolutely wants our obedience, but He wants it in the context of relationship with Him. We can study the Bible with our brains and totally miss that God is showing us who He is with His Spirit within us. We can attend church every Sunday and even on Wednesday evenings and totally miss that God is there working in and through the lives of each of us. Knowledge of His Word is so very important to us as we navigate all the deceit around us, but relationship with Him is what will give us the finer discernment and wisdom as we sort out what is Truth. From the Creation of the world to the second coming of Christ, God is all about relationship. He wants a personal relationship with each one of us – not with a select few who will tell the rest of us what to do. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 He is not hiding – He wants us to find Him – for ourselves and with others. “For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20
Thank you, Father, for your great love and compassion demonstrated to us through the ages and even now, daily in our lives. Open my eyes to see You today. Open my ears to hear Your voice today. Protect me from deceit. Fill me with Your wisdom to discern. Thank you, Father. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.
